Thursday, June 14, 2012

From "Citizens United" to Corporate Electoral Blackmail

Hey, it's just corporations exercising their newfound political voices. According to Politico, U.S. defence contractors are planning to throw a wrench into November's presidential and congressional elections by issuing hundreds of thousands of layoff notices just before voting day. The message is brutal and blunt - re-elect Obama and kiss your lovely paycheque goodbye.

“If it really did happen, if hundreds of thousands of layoff notices went out right before the election, it could hurt incumbents – mainly, the president,” said Todd Harrison, a defense expert at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

“You could do a layoff notice that just informs people they might be laid off, and you could do that very broadly,” Harrison added. “Do companies make the notices go to all of their employees, half of their employees or just the 10 percent of their employees who are likely to be affected?”

But, like most extortion, the problem can be avoided - for a price. In this case that would be rescinding the defence cuts well prior to the election.

And, if you didn't believe that America has been transformed to junk democracy in favour of corporatism, this should clear your head.